Mixed Reflection
by Kage no Naka no Hikari
Summary: After the incident of Pein, Uzumaki Naruto falls into chaos as another part of him surfaces, trying to seize control. The blond hero can fight and defeat any enemy he faces...but can he defeat someone who has gone through a similar pain as him?...someone who has been by his side from birth?...can he defeat himself?


Disclaimer: Again, i do not own Naruto and do not profit from this so no legal action can be taken against me.

Also, thanks to my Beta who i've been really disturbing alot, Thanks Daelyn Paolini

Naruto sat up on his hard mattress in the tent he had been assigned to with a heavy groan. He was still groggy, his face pinched in pain. Slowly, he rubbed his face in an attempt to clear the sleep from his eyes. Though it was awfully late, he had guard duty, and since Konoha was still under reconstruction, he had no choice but to obey. Slowly, he grabbed his jumpsuit and proceeded to put it on, but stopped when a searing pain shot up his spine and into the back of his head. His hands flew up and grabbed his head as if in a desperate act to sooth the agony.

He didn't know why but he did know these pains had been getting worse since he defeated Pein. The first time the pain had come to him, it was just like an ordinary headache, and he treated it like any other after Sakura handed him some pills, all the while blaming it on stress and sleeplessness. But now he highly doubted that conclusion. The pain was getting so bad it brought stinging tears to his eyes. He bit his lip, drawing a little blood, still desperately trying to prevent himself from screaming outright.

Slowly, he dropped back onto his hard bed and curled into a ball, thrashing around helplessly. The scream lodged in his throat struggled for freedom, but Naruto wouldn't allow it passed his lips. He silently opened his mouth as the pain felt worse now, like flames raged inside his head, cooking his brain and charring his skull. He felt as if his whole world consisted of pain and pain alone. There seemed to be no end, no relief.

"Naruto, are you awake?"

The blond snapped alert and struggled to maintain his composure as he heard Sakura's voice. Though he felt an endless amount of pain in his head, he hid it and, shaking, pulled his jumpsuit on. He dashed outside with a composed face, trying to hide the pain in his head. He was scheduled for guard duty with Sakura and needed to keep his cool.

"Something wrong?" The pink haired kunoichi asked, noticing something off about her normally upbeat comrade. He seemed distant and didn't utter a single word when he stepped out of his tent.

"N-No. Nothing," Naruto said in a thick voice.

He'd learned that Konoha had enough trouble of its own. There was no need to place his burden upon anyone else. He hoped the severe headache would leave as soon as possible.

"If you say so. Let's go, we have ten hours of guard duty at the northeast entrance," Sakura said, and began her walk with Naruto just behind her, struggling to keep his pain hidden. The boy clenched his teeth as the pain became worse.

"I hate them all."

Naruto jerked his head up and spun around to find the source of the whisper dripping with venom. There was nothing behind him. As he faced forward, he saw Sakura with a blanched and stunned expression. His heartbeat increased as he realized that she had heard the voice as well. Something was wrong.

"Did you say something?" Sakura was confounded by the words she'd heard. She could have swore it was Naruto's voice, but she wasn't sure he was the one who said it since there was obvious ignorance registered on his face. With suspicion, she turned and resumed walking down the dirt street.

"You know I would really appreciate it if…," she continued speaking, oblivious to the staggering Naruto behind her.

The boy seemed to feel dazed with the pain's blaze doubling in magnitude and pushing him into an incoherent state. He wasn't aware of anything around him. The boy struggled as he stumbled and fell to his knees. Sakura didn't notice, still ranting on and on about something of no particular importance. Naruto was now in so much pain that he tore at his head, unconsciously hoping to dig out the source of his pain. He let out a piercing shout as he fell face first onto the ground, doubled over by the intense pain in his head.

"Naruto!" Sakura skidded to a halt at his side and pulled his head into her lap.

She looked for any sign of injury: poison, genjutsu, something, _anything,_ but she could find nothing wrong. Sakura was terrified that she had no clue how to help her dear friend who was writhing in pain, unaware that she was forced to use her chakra-fueled strength to keep his back on the ground, he thrashed so violently. She looked around helplessly. A few people had started to gather around them and they began to panic. Something was wrong with their hero and no one knew what to do.

"Quick, get him to the medics!" One shinobi supplied, as if not noticing Sakura near by.

Naruto opened his eyes to scream at the morning sky above him, but he was silenced with shock to find he was in a dark room. Unlike his normal industrial mind scape, it was pitch black and desolate. Just like an oblivion the soul would fade into after death. _Was_ he dead?

"Death? You're not that lucky."

Naruto looked around in an effort to find the source of the voice.

"Who are you?" He called into the darkness that seemed to swallow his words whole.

"Lets say," the voice teasingly drawled, "I'm a more practical side of you." The reply came back slow and calculating, causing Naruto to falter, not knowing what was going on or how to react. He looked around again and wondered if this was the Kyubi within him. If it was, then the Bijuu had established an entirely new level of horror.

"WHO ARE YOU?" He screamed, enraged, into the darkness.

He heard footsteps and prepared for anything, shifting into a fighting stance. But he could not have ever been ready for what he saw next. He gasped as he began to make out the features of the stranger. He wore an orange jumpsuit. A tangle of spiky blond hair sat atop his tanned face. Six whiskers in total marked his cheeks. Naruto's throat felt dry as his eyes widened at the impossibility before him.

"I'm the real you," the figure purred darkly as Naruto faded away.

Ok, this is the new one...hope you liked it. REVIEW NOW FOR MORE...


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